General Ancient History, General & Miscellaneous - Antiquities, Excavations - Archaeology, Archaeology - General & Miscellaneous

Science Times Book of Archaeology

Name: Science Times Book of Archaeology
Author: Nicholas Wade
ISBN: 9781558218932

by Nicholas Wade

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Overview

Archaeologists' discoveries often answer burning questions about human history. Many patiently and methodically dig in the dirt, turning over rocks, seeking answers. While others use high-tech equipment to explore underwater realms. Whatever the method, however, the purpose is the same: to answer the questions that will add depth to our knowledge of time past.Travel back through The Times and piece together history with John Noble Wilford, Marlise Fowler, William J. Board, and other award-winning writers: Trail the footprints of the earliest modern human to the beginning of human history; unearth the 5,300-year-old perfectly preserved Iceman from an Alpine glacier; follow the long-ensuing debate as scientists searching for the first Americans break the "Clovis barrier" with the discovery of the Monte Verde site in Chile; visit the ancient cities of Titris Hoyuk, Pompeii, and Petra; stand in awe with French explorers before magnificent 30,000-year-old cave paintings of rhinos and bison; glide across the belly of the Mediterranean to hunt for clues about a bygone trade route with the world's smallest and deepest diving submarine. The Science Times Book of Archaeology is the prefect book for students, anyone interested in the development of modern culture, and all those fascinated with ancient civilizations and the course of human history. (71/4 X 91/2, 260 pages, illustrations, charts)

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Editorials

Library Journal

These 47 essays, originally published in the New York Times between 1993 and 1998, explore prehistory, early civilizations, the classical world, biblical archaeology, the New World, and underwater archaeology. Topics range widely, covering the Iceman of Tirol, the early domestication of pigs, the rediscovery of King Tut's wardrobe, and the causes of the sinking of the Titanic. The essays chosen by Wade (editor of the Science Times from 1990 to 1996) present news events, thereby providing vignettes of the realms of archaeology rather than a complete view of archaeology in the 1990s. Longer introductions to each thematic section that provided more background and context to the essays would have strengthened the book. Readers with an interest in archaeology will find rewards here. Libraries without access to the original articles may want to acquire this work, but those with the New York Times can safely opt not to buy.--Joyce L. Ogburn, Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Science reporter for the and former editor of the NYT's Science Times Nicholas Wade collects nearly 50 articles published in the Science Times over roughly the past decade. Articles cover prehistory, early civilizations, the Classical World, biblical archaeology, the New World, and underwater archaeology. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The New York Times published this 47 articles in its "Science Times" between 1993 and 1998. These news stories provide some exciting information about recent developments in archaeological research and new discoveries about the human past. In this compilation, the reader will learn about some truly surprising finds that have been made and that archaeologists, along with their colleagues from related sciences, have an enormous amount of research to complete over the course of many years to come. There is news in each of the six sections of the book—"Before History Begins," "Early Civilization: Mesopotamia and Egypt," "The Classical World," "Biblical Archaeology," "The New World," and "Underwater Archaeology." We learn about Ice Age art, animal and plant domestication, early technology, the Iceman from the Alps, the Icewoman from the Andes, the "ditch" of Troy, malaria in Rome, Pre-Columbian "glowing skulls," several shipwrecks, and more. However, these articles are the "news" of archaeology, and not any kind of detailed summary of the "science" of archaeological research or the history of ancient peoples. The major drawback of the book is that it lacks both a bibliography and an index. Also, a great deal of the exciting material is visually very interesting, but, unfortunately, the editors have chosen to include only seven illustrations for the benefit of the reader. Acceptable, Grades 7-College, Teaching Professional, General Audience. REVIEWER: Dr. Robert K. Evans (Charles County Community College)

A gratifying and artful blend of edification and entertainment.